


more than just a game for two

by evillittlethings



Category: Timeless (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, I swear at points this is more crack than fic lol, Parent Trap AU, and puppy Mason, with Uncle Gabriel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-11
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2018-10-30 19:03:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10883031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evillittlethings/pseuds/evillittlethings
Summary: Identical twins Amy and Iris were separated at birth and adopted into different families. When the girls are sent to the same summer camp, they discover the truth and hatch a plan to bring Amy’s single mother and Iris’ widowed father together. The girls switch places but their plan quickly goes awry when someone new enters Amy’s mother’s life.AKA the Garcy Parent Trap AU nobody asked for.





	1. a plan is hatched

**Author's Note:**

> So we’ve all heard the news and I’m just about devastated. I fell in love with this show from the very first episode and I can’t believe that NBC decided it wasn’t worth renewing (despite it being one of its most viewed shows). 
> 
> I’ve been working on this fic for a little while now and I was tempted to hide it in the pits of my computer to collect dust forever. But instead decided we all need a little Garcy in our lives, especially now. So here it is! I’m currently working on chapter 3. Chapter 2 will be posted in the next couple of days.
> 
> PS. I'm Aussie so expect the Australian/British spelling of things :)

**I**

The sun was merciless as it beat down on the young girl and her mother. It was a sticky heat, coating their skin with a thin layer of sweat. But the woman didn’t care as she pulled the girl closer, arms wrapped tight around her daugher’s body.

“Oh my god, Mum,” Amy groaned as she let her arms go limp. “Too. Hot. Can’t. Breathe.”

Lucy reluctantly let go. “You’d think I’d get used to this after so many years. But I’m not. I’m going to miss you.”

“l’ll miss you, too,” the girl smiled, her green eyes shiny with the tears she was trying to swallow down. “But I’ll be home soon.”

Amy gave her mother another quick hug and a kiss on the cheek before rushing away, large duffel bag in tow. Lucy watched as her daughter walked right up to a large girl in a tie-dye shirt and introduced herself. Lucy heard her ask her new friend about their poker skills and laughed, knowing she would likely be getting a call from the camp director in no time.

After Amy had disappeared from view, Lucy got back into her car and took a few deep calming breaths. It would only be seven weeks before she saw her daughter again, and in the meantime she knew her little girl was going to be learning the necessary skills to be a strong, independent woman. But the pang in her heart didn’t let up.

Her phone rang, “Jiya” flashing bright on the screen. Lucy smiled, knowing that they would have their traditional “when the kid’s away, Lucy can play!” night out tonight. There was no amount of begging that would convince Jiya to let her stay in for the night.

Hitting the little green icon, Jiya’s voice filled the car as Lucy pulled away from her spot, a rental car taking her place.

The little girl that got out of the car was a carbon copy of the child that had stood in that exact spot mere minutes earlier. The same shining green eyes and dirty blonde hair, button nose wrinkling at the dank smell of earth and unwashed animals.

“This is where Mum spent her summers?” the girl asked as she scanned the area. The brown wooden structures with fading green roofs, young girls of all ages running around in matching white tee-shirts, the camp logo sewn on their breasts, and matching green shorts.

“Yes, it is. She used to tell me stories about her time here. I think it’ll be good for you,” a tall man replied. His shadow was long and Iris moved to stand beneath it, using it as a shield against the unforgiving sun.

“You mean Uncle Gabe thinks it’ll be good for me?” A sly grin spread across her face.

“Don’t get smart with me, young lady.”

The grin grew and Garcia felt his lips smile in return.

“Okay, let’s check the list. Sunblock?”

“Check!”

“Insect repellent?”

“Check!”

“Stationery?”

“Check!”

“Family photos?”

“Check, check and check!”

He paused and raised an eyebrow. “Three checks?”

Iris laughed. “I have three photos!”

Garcia leaned down and pulled her into a long, hard hug. The girl returned the embrace, stuffing her face into the space between her father’s neck and shoulder, small hands gripping his shirt tight. Although Garcia often travelled for work, this was the first time they would be separated for longer than a few days.

Giving his daughter a kiss on the top of her head, he let her go. Iris looked down at the floor, right foot digging into the dirt. Garcia curled a finger underneath her chin and lifted it until they were face to face.

“Volim te, moja najdraža.”

“I ja volim tebe isto, Tata.”

“Have fun, okay? If you need anything, call me.”

He pulled her into another hug before stepping away. Giving her a reassuring smile, he got into the rental and watched in the rear view mirror as Iris hesitated before grabbing her bag and walking away.

**II**

The first few days were full of near misses. The girls would go into the showers seconds after the other; one would leave the cafeteria just before the other entered. It wasn't until halfway through the first week that both of their cabins were scheduled for fencing together.

The girls were outfitted in nylon jackets and wire-mesh masks as they all stood together in a muddled bunch.

Amy swung her foil as if it were an extension of her body. She’d never fenced before but she’d dragged her mother to enough self-defence classes that she was confident with the sword. She was on a winning streak, having beaten her previous two bouts when Iris volunteered to be her next opponent.

The two girls met in the middle of the mat and bowed to each other. Amy immediately went on the offensive, thrusting her sword towards Iris who faltered and parried in the nick of time. The attack was frenzied and Amy grinned behind her mask, thinking that she had the upper hand. She feinted left before going right, but Iris seemed to know what she was doing. Their swords met as Iris deflected the hit. Amy tried to knock the foil from Iris’ hand but Iris spun and evaded Amy’s blade.

The other girls clapped and cheered, delighted at the display, while Iris thrust towards Amy who parried, sweeping both their swords in a circle and bringing the two girls chest to chest. They separated and paused for a moment, catching their breaths, before Amy ran at the other girl who knowingly waited for the right moment to take a lithe step to her right.

Amy couldn’t stop her momentum and found herself running right past Iris. She turned quickly, just in time to see Iris lunge. Taking a step back, Amy fell right into a perfectly placed water trough. The water immediately soaked her clothes and Amy could feel it seeping right into her underwear.

The cheering turned to laughter and Amy could feel blood rushing to her cheeks, darkening them to an embarrassed shade of red.

“Oh god, I am so sorry,” Iris walked over, holding out a hand to help pull Amy from the trough.

Smirking beneath her mask, Amy grabbed Iris’ hand and pulled with all her might. The other girl landed beside her and Amy felt a slick sense of satisfaction as she watched Iris’ white uniform dampen.

They scrambled to get out of the deep trough, facing away from each other as they pulled off their masks. Iris tried to wring the dirty water out from her long hair as Amy smirked, cheeks still red. The camp counsellor in charge tried to calm the situation, declaring Iris the winner and urging the girls to amicably shake hands. They turned to each other, angry and embarrassed, only to catch sight of their mirror image.

They froze, hands outstretched but not touching.

Amy took a step forward, slipped her hand into Iris’ and shook it once. The other girls crowded around as a tense silence permeated the air.

In that moment, Amy and Iris took an instant dislike to each other. They spent the next few days trying to one up each other; prove that they were the alpha lookalike. Insults were thrown and a prank war ignited.

Iris lost a bet and was made to jump into the lake in the middle of the night, while Amy ran off with her clothes. All the bunks in Amy’s cabin suddenly disappeared from the cabin only to find new homes on the roof.

Shoes were filled with honey, shaving cream sprayed onto pillowcases, the floor oiled, and twine was tied around a bedpost before being wound around Iris’ room in the middle of the night.

A prank goes wrong and a bucket of Hershey’s syrup is dumped on the camp director’s head.

In an effort to bring peace, the two girls were thrown together in an isolation bunk.

“We’ve got six weeks left at camp and you two are going to spend every glorious one of them together,” the director growled. “You’ll eat together, bunk together and do all of your activities together. Either you’ll find a way to get along or you’ll punish yourself better than I ever could.”

But still, their hatred for each other did not waver. The two girls spent their time together in silence, only looking at each other when the situation was dire. They ate their meals, participated in their activities, prepared for bed without a single word being passed between them.

It took a few days and a storm before their icy relationship began to thaw.

A raucous wind was playing a rock concert outside their cabin as Amy and Iris prepared for bed, when a sudden gust blew their door wide open. Amy had been decorating her bunk with photos from home when the images flew into the air. She screamed, rushing to pick them back up before they could be ruined, and Iris ran to slam the door, latching it shut.

Iris sat cross legged on her bed, warily eyeing Amy as she tried to salvage her photos.

“Are any of your pictures ruined?” Iris asked.

Amy looked up and showed her a torn magazine cropping. “Only the beautiful Amandla Stenberg.”

“Oh, your friend from home?”

“Yeah, right. I wish,” Amy gave Iris a look. “You’ve never heard of her?”

“No, never.”

Amy cocked her head to the side. “Where are you even from?”

“Croatia, which is 6,815 kilometers away. That's about 4,235 miles. But sometimes it feels so much further. How far away is your home?”

“California is on the other end of the country,” she handed Iris one of her photos. “This is my house. It’s a little small but it has this this incredible porch with rocking chairs.”

“It’s pretty,” Iris ran her finger down the side of the image. “Who’s that?”

“Oh, that’s my Mum. She didn’t know I was taking the picture otherwise she would have turned around. She’s kinda like my best friend. We do everything together.”

Goosebumps rose along Iris’ arms and she tried to rub them away.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she replied through gritted teeth. “It’s a little chilly in here, that’s all.”

Amy took a long look at Iris before reaching into her duffel bag and pulling out a packet of Oreos.

“Do you want one?” she asked.

“Sure, thank you. I love Oreos. Back home, I eat them with peanut butter.”

Amy gasped. “So do I!”

“You’re kidding? Most people think it’s disgusting!”

“I know, I don’t get it.”

“Me either.”

The girls laughed together. Amy reached back into her duffel and pulled out a small jar of peanut butter, causing the girls to fall deeper into hysterics. When they calmed down, Amy opened the jar and they took turns dipping an Oreo into the peanut butter.

“What’s your Mum like?”

Iris stuffed a peanut butter coated cookie into her mouth to buy herself some time.

“I don’t have a mother. I mean, I had one, once. But she died when I was 5. Dad talks to me about her all the time, but it’s not the same.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Amy uttered, offering the other girl a small smile.

“It’s okay.”

“I don’t really have a dad. My parents split up when I was a baby. He calls me every now and then, but he’s one of those types that say ‘I’ll talk to you later, honey’ but then never does.” Amy shrugged.

They continue eating in silence for a few more minutes before Iris couldn’t stand the quiet.

“How old are you?”

Amy didn’t bother to swallow before replying that she’d be twelve on October 11th.

Iris choked on her own mouthful. “So will I.”

“Your birthday is October 11th, 2009? How weird is that?”

“Very,” Iris studied Amy as the girl stuffed another peanut butter Oreo in her mouth.

“I’m really thirsty; do you feel like walking with me to the canteen to get a drink?”

“Will you stop thinking about your stomach at a time like this?”

“At a time like what?” Amy furrowed her eyebrows.

Iris sighed, loudly. “Don’t you realise what’s happening? Don’t you find it a little strange that we both look so much alike and have the same birthday? Amy, are you adopted?”

Amy dropped the last Oreo on the floor. “What?”

“Are you adopted?”

“You can’t just ask a girl if they’re adopted, Iris!”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

Amy looked into green eyes the exact same shade as her own. “Yes.”

“So am I.”

The girls stared at each other. They were the same height, had the same tone of voice, the same competitive spirit, same hair and eyes…

“Oh. Hold on, so if we’re both born on October 11th and we’re both adopted, do you think we’re like, sisters?”

“Sisters? Amy, I think we’re twins!”

Amy laughed hard, but before long tears came to her eyes. Iris’ own filled in response and soon enough the two girls were embracing, fitting perfectly into each other’s arms. Two halves of a whole.

“I’m a twin? There’s two of me! I mean, two of us? Wow. I think I need to sit down,” Amy plopped onto the end of Iris’ bed and Iris followed suit. “Can I see your toes?”

“Eww,” Iris laughed before slipping her sneakers off.

Kicking her own shoes off, they compared their feet.

“Identical! Hands?”

They hold out their hands which are identical right to the beauty mark on their right thumbs.

“What’s your favourite colour?”

“Mint green.”

“Well there had to be some difference,” Amy laughed. “Mine is blue. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?”

“Pizza, 100%.”

“Topped with?”

“Olives, green peppers and anchovies,” they said at the same time.

“Oh my god, we really are twins.”

The rain stopped and the bell rang for lunch, but the girls didn’t move. All throughout lunch and their day’s activities, they shared everything about their lives.

“Tell me about your mum,” Iris asked as Amy shovelled dinner into her mouth. “What’s she like?”

“She’s amazing. She’s a history professor at Stanford University.”

“That’s so cool, I love history.”

“Really? I don’t,” Amy laughed. “She’s up for tenure soon. I don’t know what that means but she’s really stressed about it.”

“She sounds awesome.”

“She is.”

It was in the middle of the night when Iris had her eureka moment. Amy had been  in the middle of a very pleasant dream when Iris turned on the light and woke her up.

“Amy, did your mum ever remarry? After what happened with your dad?”

“No, she hasn’t even really dated. She says that one heartbreak was enough and that I give her the only love she needs.”

“Dad hasn’t dated either. Do you know what this means?”

“Not really? You’re obviously the older one, you get everything before me. What does it mean?”

“It means that if we play our cards right, we could be real sisters!”

“Aren’t we already real sisters?”

“Well yes, but no. I am such a genius,” Iris exclaimed as she paced the tiny cabin.

“What are you raving about?”

“You’ve never had a real dad right?”

Amy bit her lip, “no.”

“And I’ve never really had a mother. So what I’m thinking is…Oh man, this is so brilliant, it’s scary.”

“Out with it already.”

“I think we should switch places. When camp’s over, I leave as you and go back to California and you go to Dubrovnik!”

“That is definitely not going to work.”

“What do you mean? Of course it’ll work! We’re twins, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, twins from different countries, with different accents, different hair-styles, different vocabularies... different everything. Iris, we're totally and completely, one hundred percent different.”

“I fail to see the problem. I’ll teach you to be me and you teach me to be you!”

“You’re going to teach me to speak Croatian in four weeks?”

“Yes! Or at least as much as you’ll need to know to get by. I speak English with my dad and you can get to most places in Dubrovnik speaking English. The thing is, if we switch then sooner or later they’ll have to un-switch us.”

Amy began to catch on to what Iris was saying. “And when they do, they’ll have to meet.”

“Exactly. They can get to know each other, fall madly in love and just like that we can be real sisters!”

“Wow.”

“I told you I’m brilliant.”

The plan began to form. The girls started by immediately switching roles at camp – they began to wear each other’s clothes, hand out with each other’s friends, etc. They gave each other crash courses on their families, their homes, their habits.

Iris had to learn to bite her nails while Amy had to learn Croatian. Iris’ hair got the snip and she had to suffer through Amy punching holes in her ears.

“This is so unfair,” she moaned as Amy approached with a sewing needle.

“This was your great idea,” Amy muttered, no hesitation as she stuck the needle through Iris’ ear.

Before they knew it, camp was over and all their hard work was about to be put to the test. They spent their last few minutes together testing each other, making sure they didn’t forget anything.

“Iris Flynn, your car is here! Iris Flynn!” a counsellor called.

“Okay, here goes nothing,” Amy said as she gave Iris a quick hug and stepped towards the waiting car.


	2. the swap

**III  
**

Amy stepped off the plane, groggy and tired from the long flight. She’d never flown alone before and the entire experience had been something she didn’t care to repeat. Iris had told her that her father, Garcia, had been called in on a job and wouldn’t be able to pick her up from the airport. She likely wouldn’t see him for a couple more days. Instead, she looked for the face that matched the photo in her pocket.

“Iris!”

Amy looked up to see Iris’ Uncle Gabriel pushing through the crowd, a small bouquet of pink lilies in hand – Iris’ favourite flower.

“Uncle Gabe!” She rushed over to him, falling into his arms.

“You look fantastic. What did you do to your hair?”

“I cut it. Do you like it?”

“I love it. And…did you pierce your ears?”

“Maybe.”

“You go to camp for one summer and suddenly you come back an American. I can’t believe it.”

Amy grinned. “You’re an American, remember?”

“Don’t remind me,” Gabe fake shuddered before smiling down at her. “Let’s go, kid.”

Despite her fatigue, Amy couldn’t help but stare around her with eyes wide. The language, the smells, the people; it was all so strange and colourful.

Iris had spoken to Amy in Croatian as often as possible, getting her familiar with the tone and cadence of the language. She’d even gone so far as to teach the girl short phrases, making her twin repeat them over and over until no traces of an American accent remained. And yet that had paled in comparison to being immersed in the language.

It wasn’t only the sounds. At one point they drove by the ocean, the water a shade of glimmering blue Amy had never seen before. The sun reflected from the deep sea and Amy got the urge to run from the car, splashing deep into the water. 

“It’s so beautiful here,” she sighed.

“Not only do you come back American, but a tourist!”

Amy held back a grimace.

“What can I say? Camp made me appreciate home,” she gave Gabe an innocent smile.

It wasn’t much longer before they pulled up to a small townhouse, sitting pretty on a street with flowering trees. Gabe gave Amy the house keys before grabbing her bags from the trunk. She walked up the steps and, taking a deep breath, she slid the key into the lock and twisted the door open.

It was like walking into a stranger’s home, which Amy supposed was exactly what she was doing. The house was filled with sunlight, making it large and inviting. She swept through each room, trailing her fingers across the furniture and scanning through family photos. There were so many photos.

A large family portrait hung over the fireplace in the living room. Baby Iris sat cuddled in her mother’s arms; a beautiful woman with short blonde hair and a heart-warming smile. Iris’ father stood beside her, a hand around her mother’s waist, chin resting on her shoulder as he started at baby Iris in wonder. Amy swallowed hard as a lump formed in her throat.

A shadow cast over the photo as Gabriel stood behind her. She turned away from the image and gave him a watery smile.

“So, what’s for lunch?”

She disappeared into Iris’ room after eating her fill, wriggling around on the bed and trying to make it her own. It wasn’t long before the long trip caught up to her and she fell asleep, a few hours later to a dark figure lurking beside her bed.

Amy screamed, jumping out of the bed and running to the window. She flicked the latch and struggled to pull the window up high enough for her to slip through.

A deep laugh sounded behind her and she paused. “It’s only me, draga.”

“Oh my god, you scared me,” Amy said, raising a hand to her heart where she could feel it pounding out of her chest.

Garcia flipped the switch and light illuminated the dark room. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

His smile was wide and her heart instantly slowed in response. Garcia opened his arms and Amy flew to him with no hesitation. Her arms barely reached around his waist as his encircled her so perfectly.

Amy knew that Garcia wasn’t her dad. Her father was a man who signed his name on the dotted line and then decided that he wasn’t ready for the picket fence after all. Her father was a man who couldn’t step up to the plate. Yet still, for a second she allowed herself to fantasise.

“I missed you, tata,” she whispered against his shoulder.

“I missed you, too. What did you do to your hair?”

Amy laughed as she pulled away, tears clutching to her eyelashes. He lightly touched the ends of her hair, tucking it gently behind one ear.

“Is that…did you pierce your ears?”

“A girl I met at camp did it.  Do you hate it?”

“Of course not! I love it. Any other surprise? Belly-button rings, tattoos...? Please don’t tell me you have a tattoo, my old heart couldn’t take it.”

Amy grinned at him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for another hug.

“Come on, let’s go get some dinner and you can tell me all about your adventures.”

“Oh yes,” Amy groaned, “I’m starving.”

**

The flight to California was much quicker than the one from Croatia had been and in next to no time at all Iris was walking towards the beautiful, grinning woman that was waiting for her at the baggage claim area. Lucy’s grin lit up her eyes and Iris gave her an anxious smile in return as her stomach clenched.

“Welcome home, honey!"

Lucy opened her arms wide and Iris had no choice but to drop her bags and let herself be enveloped into the hug.

The only memories she had of her mother were of the stories her father had told her. Stories of how much her mother loved her, how much she wanted her. A beautiful woman singing stunning lullabies to her little girl as she held her tight to her chest. But those were all second hand memories; nothing could compare to the real thing.

Iris dug her face into the crook of Lucy’s neck, squeezing her arms tighter around Amy’s mum.

“I hope you had a terrible time because you’re never going back! I missed you too much,” Lucy murmured into Iris’ hair.

“That’s what you say every year…Mum,” voice muffled.

“Well this year I mean it.”

They reluctantly let go and Lucy rested her hands on Iris’ shoulders, taking a good, long look at her.

“Something’s changed. Did you get taller?”

Iris laughed as she shrugged. “So how is everybody?”

“Good! A lot has happened around here, I can’t wait to fill you in.”

“A lot has happened to me, too, Mum. I feel like I’m practically a new woman!”

“A new woman? Hmm, I could have sworn when you went to camp you were a young girl.”

Lucy softly tugged at a strand of Iris’ hair with a fond smile, before grabbing the girl’s duffel bag. Wrapping an arm around Iris’ shoulder, they walked over to the car.

“Thanks for all those amazing letters, by the way,” Lucy said as they were driving home. “I’m really glad I bought you all of that personalised stationery you just _had_ to have.”

“We meant to write, Mum, but we just got so busy with…”

“We?”

“Oh, me and my friend. I met this girl at camp and we got really close. Practically like sisters! She’s a lovely girl.”

Lucy glanced at Iris out of the side of her eyes. “Lovely? At least you still bite your nails so I know they haven’t swapped you with a pod person.”

“I really do need to stop, Mum. It’s a horrid habit, it really is.”

“Horrid habit?” Lucy laughed. “Did I send you to summer camp or finishing school? And why do you keep saying ‘Mum’?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realise I was doing it, Mum,” she grimaced. “Sorry, Mum.”

They both laughed as Lucy rolled her eyes.

“Sorry, I just…I missed being able to use that word. I haven’t been able to say the word ‘mum’ all of camp. And a mum is an irreplaceable person in a girls’ life, don’t you think?”

Lucy smiled, a little wistful, and pulled Iris closer. “You’re 100% right.”

Mason was waiting for them as they pulled up to Amy’s house. The large golden retriever let out a loud, delighted bark as he saw the car roll down the driveway. Iris smiled wide as the dog struggled to run to the car, forgetting in his excitement that he was tied to the banister of the porch and couldn’t go anywhere, no matter how hard he pulled on the leash. Jiya appeared from inside the house and waved at the car with a big grin before leaning down to untie Mason. He shot off, yapping and barking, leaping up onto the passenger side door, paws slipping down.

“You better not scratch the paint, Mason,” Lucy groaned as she got out of the car.

Eyes bright, Iris opened the door carefully. Mason backed away, excitedly turning in circles as Iris got out of the car, and then pounced, nose wiggling as he smelled every inch of her. Iris giggled as his wet nose tickled at her exposed skin.

A few seconds later, Mason paused and sat on his back legs, head cocked in confusion. He let out a single bark before suspiciously backing away further.

“What’s up with you, goofball?” Jiya asked as she walked over. “Well if you don’t want to say hello, I will!”

With that, the darker woman pulled Iris into a hug, almost lifting the girl off her feet.

“Hello gorgeous! You’ve grown, you’ve lost weight, you look beautiful, we’ve missed you. Don’t let your sappy mother talk you out of going back to camp, okay? You’re a growing girl.  You need adventure.  Are you hungry?  I made chicken curry,” Jiya let Iris go and looked into her eyes. “Why are you so quiet? Is everything okay?”

Iris nodded. “I’m just really happy to be home.”

But Jiya wasn’t convinced and she pursed her lips. “You’ve changed Ames. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there is definitely something different about you.”

Later that afternoon, Lucy knocked on the door to Amy’s room before popping her head in. “Hi sweetheart. Have you unpacked?”

Iris looked up from where she was playing a video game in bed and nodded. “Most of it went straight to the wash.”

“Okay well get cleaned up. Jiya invited her new boyfriend to dinner.”

“Boyfriend?”

“It’s kind of new. Go on, he’ll be here soon.”

Iris quickly showered and changed into a fresh pair of jeans and plain white t-shirt. Creeping back downstairs, she snuck over to the dining room where she could hear the sound of a man laughing. Peeking around the door frame, she saw Lucy and Jiya sitting at the dinner table with two men.

The man sitting beside Jiya had dark skin and a kind face. He was looking at Jiya as if he couldn’t believe that she wanted to be near him at all, let alone right next to him. They were having a quiet conversation, in their own world.

The second man sat next to Amy’s mother and it was his laughter Iris had heard earlier. He sat too close to Lucy for comfort, and there was something about the way that they were looking at each other that made the hair at the back of her neck stand up. She didn’t know how she was supposed to react to the image in front of her; they hadn’t covered surprise boyfriends when Iris was learning everything she could about being Amy.

“Amy, come in,” Lucy beckoned, spying Iris loitering by the door.

A light flush coloured Iris’ cheeks, but she squared her shoulders and walked over to Lucy’s side, her eyes not leaving the unfamiliar man that sat beside the woman.

“Amy, these are Rufus and Wyatt,” Lucy pointed to each man in turn. “Rufus is Jiya’s new boyfriend.”

The darker man gave Iris a nervous grin and Iris smiled in response.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Amy,” he said,  leaning over and shaking the young girl’s hand. “I’ve heard so much about you from Jiya.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, too,” Iris said before turning to the other man. “And who are you?”

“Amy, don’t be rude,” Lucy chastised, but Iris didn’t respond, eyes not moving from his as she waited for his reply.

“I’m Rufus’ friend, Wyatt.”

Wyatt smiled and it didn’t fill Iris with the same sense of comfort that Rufus’ smile had, although that likely had less to do with Wyatt than with the situation at hand. There was something fishy going on. It didn’t make sense that Rufus’ friend would tag along to meet Jiya’s ten year old goddaughter.

The five sat down for dinner and Iris studied the man who was still sitting comfortably beside Lucy. He seemed nice enough, smiling at Lucy and often pulling Iris into the conversation but she couldn’t help but dislike him on principle. She watched as Lucy smiled back at him and placed her hand on his arm.

Iris was sure he was probably a good man, but she wanted him far, far away from Lucy before he ruined everything. The entire reason for swapping places with Amy was so that they could bring their parents together, become sisters in more than blood. If this Wyatt person got involved with Lucy, the girls could kiss their plans goodbye. Amy was not going to like this.

She thought back to what her father had taught her about getting how he would investigate a case. She had to keep calm and get all the facts. Acting impulsively was as bad as not acting at all. There was nothing she could do before she learned everything she could about the situation.

“So how did this happen?” Iris blurted, interrupting the conversation.

“How did what happen, sweetheart?” Lucy asked.

“This,” Iris gestured to the dinner table. “How did everyone meet?”

“I dragged your mother to a club after she dropped you off at camp,” Jiya said, refilling her glass of water. “You know how she gets when you’re away and I thought a little music and alcohol would help.”

“That’s not exactly the lesson I want you teaching my daughter, Jiya,” Lucy intercepted.

Jiya laughed and winked at Iris who forced a smile in return.

“Rufus was there with Wyatt and we all just hit it off.”

 “Cool,” she shrugged, before shovelling another forkful of macaroni into her mouth in true Amy fashion. She decided to talk it over with her twin before she did anything drastic.

**

A couple of hours later, halfway around the world, a house phone rang. The sun had barely risen and the family was still getting ready for the day. Everyone paused, confused at the sound.

“Can somebody find and pick up the phone, please?” Garcia yelled from the top of the stairs where he was trying to securely fasten his tie.

“Why do you still have a home phone?” Gabriel yelled in response before locating the phone. “Halo? … Iris?”

“Yes?” Amy asked as she walked past, a piece of toast in hand.

“That’s weird,” he said to her before returning to the phone in his hand. “I’m sorry, who were you after? … Iris? Of course, just a moment.”

He handed the phone to Amy.

“There’s a Denise Christopher for you. She sounds like she could be your twin.”

“My twin? LOL, Uncle Gabe,” she laughed as she put the phone to her ear. “Hello? Oh, Denise, how are you?”

 _LOL?_ Gabe mouthed as he walked away.

“Hey! How’s it going over there?” The real Iris asked from the other end of the line.

“Oh, everything’s lovely here. Can you…hold on for a moment?” Amy asked as she stuffed herself in the coat closet with the phone. “Okay, now I can talk. Oh my god, your dad is incredible. He’s so tall and funny and smart and he was telling me a little about his latest case over dinner last night and it sounded so cool! He-”

“Your mother is dating!” Iris blurted, interrupting Amy from her rant filled with all things she already knew.

“What? No she isn’t.” Amy picked at a thread on the dark wool coat in front of her.

“Jiya has a new boyfriend and he came for dinner last night with his friend. Your mum wouldn’t stop smiling at him. It was disgusting.”

“You must be seeing things. My mum hasn’t been interested in anyone since dad left. She wouldn’t start now.”

“Look I know what I saw. We need to switch back.”

“Now? Are you nuts? I’ve only had like a day with your dad. I’m just getting to know what it’s like to have a real dad. It’s not time, not happening.”

“You think I don’t want to spend more time with your mother? She’s beautiful and amazing, and her hugs are incredible, but I don’t want to mess something up.”

“Okay fine. I’ll think of something and call you back. Or Facebook you like a normal person. The house phone, Iris? Really?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please forgive my (possible) butchering of the Croatian language. I only had trust ol' Google to help me out lol.
> 
> Let me know what you thought! :3


	3. family bonding (ish)

**IV**

 

Lucy placed a loaded plate of bacon, eggs and toast in front of Iris with a flourish.

"Breakfast is served."

Iris looked up at with a smile before picking up her fork and pushing a piece of bacon around the plate. Lucy sat opposite the young girl, peering at her as she sipped at her coffee.

“Are you feeling okay?” She asked, leaning over to press the back of her hand flat against Iris’ forehead.

“I’m fine, Mum.”

“Are you sure? You hardly ate your dinner last night and now you’re not eating breakfast.”

“I’m just tired, I promise,” Iris gave her a bright smile before shovelling a forkful of egg white into her mouth. _When in doubt, fill your mouth with food_ , she remembered Amy telling her.

“Well, I’d be tired too if I were making mysterious phone calls in the middle of the night. Do I want to know what that’s about?”

“Oh that!” Iris stammered, shocked at being caught. “I was calling a friend from camp. Denise. She lives in New York.”

“Ahh, I see. And you wanted to call Denise at a time that was convenient for her, because of the time difference,” Lucy carefully chewed on a piece of bacon.

“Exactly! The time difference.”

“Right. So you waited until it was three o’clock in the morning for her? Makes perfect sense.”

“Actually, it was eight in the morning. You see, she lives in New York but she was on vacation with her family in Europe.”

Lucy stared at her. “Please tell me you did not make an international call from our house phone last night.”

Iris exaggerated a wince and shrugged, making Lucy to groan in response. “Amy,” she chastised.

“Come on,” Iris took a final sip of her orange juice. “Day’s a-wasting. Let’s go!”

"Day’s a-wasting?" Lucy whispered to herself as Iris ran out of the room.

It wasn’t until later as they were walking down the beach, sandals in hand and licking their ice cream cones, that Iris brought the subject back up.

“We should do that, too, you know?”

“Hmmm?” Lucy licked at the trail of peanut butter ice cream melting down her cone. “Do what?”

“Go on vacation. Like my friend, Denise.”

Lucy laughed. “I don’t think you quite understand how much a university professor earns, Amy.”

“It doesn’t have to be to Europe. It can be anywhere. Just you and me. And maybe Jiya."

“Is Mason invited?” Lucy asked dryly.

“Sure!” Iris agreed, not catching on to Lucy’s sarcasm. “I just think it would be fun for us to get away for a few days as a family. I missed you when I was gone, Mum.”

Lucy sighed, guilt tickling in her chest. “I’ll think about it.”

Iris grinned, wrapping an arm around Lucy’s waist and squeezing tight. Lucy smiled fondly at Iris, slinging her own arm across the girl’s shoulders.

 

**

“Are you ready for our daddy-daughter day?” Garcia asked as he popped his head into Iris’ room.

Amy was lying on the bed, stomach down and legs kicking in the air as she tried to read one of Iris’ many books. She honestly could not understand why Iris enjoyed reading so much. Her brain kept losing track of the words and before she knew it, her eyes had reached the end of the page but she had no idea what she’d read.

“God yes! Let me just put my shoes on,” she literally rolled off the bed and shoved her feet into Iris’ single pairs of sneakers.

They caught a ferry at Dubrovnik Old Town. As they boarded, Amy grabbed hold of Garcia’s hand and pulled him to the front of the boat, smiling as the spray of the ocean hit her cheeks. The wind whipped her hair into her face and her grin only grew as she brushed it back.

Garcia reached deep into the front pocket of his jeans and pulled out a hair tie. He used his fingers to brush Amy’s hair back and secured it into a high ponytail. It looked a little worse for wear but he figured it would hold for the rest of the 15 minute ride to Lokrum Island – one of Iris’ favourite places.

“Can you take a photo of me?” Amy asked and Garcia chuckled before complying.

Pulling out his phone, he took a few quick shots of a grinning Amy, red cheeks and lumpy ponytail. The sea glistened in the background, the same shade of blue as the summer sky. She leaned over his arm to see the photos and laughed at the expression on her face.

“Thanks, tata.” She kissed him on the cheek.

When they arrived at the island, Garcia led the way to the Botanical Gardens. Amy had no real interest in examining a smorgasbord of flowers, but it was the kind of thing Iris loved to do and so she was stuck, fake ohhing and ahhing over the flowering cacti and other unidentifiable plants. She could feel the strap of her bathing suit dig into her shoulders and couldn’t wait to jump into the crystal water.

After an hour of roaming around the gardens, the duo sat on a large patch of grass. Amy was sufficiently bored out of her mind, the only remotely fascinating thing to happen was when a peacock had crossed her path, tail open and majestic as it stalked past like it was walking down a runway.

“Walk, walk, fashion baby,” she whispered as the peacock disappeared from view.

She tried to hide her boredom, throwing all of herself into faking enthusiasm. Her twin sister really needed to get out more if this was her idea of a good time.

Garcia reached into the backpack he was carrying and pulled out a couple of sandwiches and large bottle of water. She flung herself onto her back, eating her sausage and tomato sandwich with one hand as she brushed the other through strands of grass. Garcia followed her lead, lowering his large frame until his head was next to Amy’s. He pointing out interestingly shaped clouds as they ate with Amy chiming in at irregular intervals.

She grew groggy and tired, the warmth of the sun and her filling stomach mingled until her eyelids drooped and she fought against sleep. Garcia laughed to himself as he watched her struggle. Just as she was about to slip into a nap, he shook her out of her stupor with two words.

“So, swimming?”

Her eyes immediately sprung open as she sat up. “Definitely.”

They walked over to the other side of the island. The sun was bearing down on them from its spot in the middle of the sky as they found an unoccupied swimming hole.

Ripping off her t-shirt and denim shorts in a single swoop, Garcia caught her around the waist before she could dive from the rocks and into the water. He laughed as she struggled.

“Dad!” she groaned.

“Sunscreen first, draga.”

Amy huffed but stood still as Garcia slathered the cream onto her back. She squeezed a large dollop onto her own hand and covered the rest of her exposed skin. Taking pity on the large man, she smothered his back in a patchy layer of sunscreen before climbing over the rocks and to the nearby ladder. She descended down to the lowest rung and dipped a foot into the warm, cool water. Groaning, she hurled herself off the ladder and into the deep blue.

Iris’ dad was content to sit on a smooth rock, reading from a thick book that he’d pulled from his backpack. Every now and then we would look over to check on Amy before falling back into the pages.

The waves were calm as Amy floated on her back. Iris’ words from the day before crept into her mind. The idea that Lucy was dating someone was hilarious. For the past 10 years of her life, it had been just Amy and her mum. She couldn’t imagine that a simple 7 weeks away was enough time for her mother to meet a man and decide to give dating another shot. It was impossible. And so with the water gently lapping at her skin, she pushed the conversation aside and let her mind go blank.

She never wanted to leave.

**

Reality hit her hard and fast when she arrived her with a friend request from a Denise Christopher. Amy squinted at the profile picture of a generic Indian girl. She hovered the cursor over the “Delete Request” button, having seen enough Catfish and America’s Most Wanted reruns to be wary about adding unknown people on Facebook, especially when their profile was blank. She clicked on “Accept” curiosity piqued. She figured she could always delete them if they turned out to be shady.

Denise Christopher: _Amy! It's Iris. Accept my friend request._

Denise Christopher: _Where are you?_

Denise Christopher: _This is serious! They’re going on a double date tonight. I don’t know what to do._

Denise Christopher: _AMYYYYYY!!!_

Denise Christopher: _Nemoj me jebat._

Iris Flynn: _y do i get the feelin that uve just insulted me?_

Denise Christopher: _FINALLY! Amy, what do I do???????_

Iris Flynn: _k hold up_

Iris Flynn: _break it down for me_

Iris Flynn: _wats happening?_

Denise Christopher: _Your mother is currently in the bathroom putting make up on! There’s a really pretty red lace dress lying on her bed and Jiya’s mum is coming over to babysit me._

Denise Christopher: … _Are you still there Amy?_

Iris Flynn: _ye im thinkin hold on_

Iris Flynn: _ok so heres wat u do_

**

“I’m sorry I ruined your date,” Iris moaned pitifully from where she was burritoed in her comforter.

“That’s okay, sweetheart,” Lucy replied, running her fingers through Iris’ “sweaty” hair and placing a kiss on the top of her head. “It wasn’t a date anyway.”

Iris wrinkled her brows. “Are you sure?”

“Am I sure about what?”

“That it wasn’t a date.” Iris moved her head from its position on Lucy’s chest, turning her neck until she could see the older woman’s face. Lucy’s eyebrows were crinkled in confusion.

“I promise you that if I ever go on a date, I’ll tell you.”

Iris bit her lower lip before smiling up at Lucy. Then she lowered her head back onto Lucy’s chest and fell asleep with the woman’s fingers gently brushing through her hair.

**

Denise Christopher: _It worked! Crisis averted…for now. But honestly Amy, we have to switch back. I’m not prepared to deal with this!_

Iris Flynn: _look_ _i know ok? im sorry_

Iris Flynn: _any ideas?_

Denise Christopher: _I have one, but you’ll have to be very convincing._

Denise Christopher: _And you may need some help._


	4. truths are told

**V**

It had become clear to Amy at some point before saying goodnight to Iris at three am that morning, that they had not thought things through. In the exhilaration of meeting her sister – her _twin_ sister – and the excitement of getting to experience what having a real dad was like, Amy hadn’t stopped to think about consequences.

She wasn’t exactly surprised. Consequences wasn’t generally something that took up much of her brain power. But as she tossed and turned that night, the tendrils of anxiety reaching out and wrapping themselves around her stomach, it dawned on her that she was alone. Her mother was halfway around the world, caring for a different version of Amy. She couldn’t just crawl into her mother’s bed, fingertips frozen and lip trembling, and have her mum know exactly what to do to help her feel better. Lucy would run her fingers through Amy’s hair and down her back, humming a tune that Amy could only call _home_. The feeling and the sound would lull Amy to sleep, and in the morning the two would talk it out, picking apart Amy’s thoughts and feelings until they got to the root of her anxiety.

Amy didn’t need to talk to her mother to know that her current state was a direct result of the plan she had formed with Iris – the only way the two girls could switch back. But still, she craved her mother’s warmth, her love and smell; her comforting presence.

The next morning, she felt just as bad, if not worse. Her stomach turned as she walked down the stairs, the scent of breakfast hanging in the air. The thought of eating made her feel worse, and the fact that it made her feel worse made Amy feel _even_ worse. It was a vicious cycle and she just wanted to go home. A far cry from how she had felt the day before, floating in a watering hole with the sun caressing her face.

“Hey, kiddo!” Uncle Gabe greeted from where he was frying up some pancakes.

“Morning,” she replied, studying Iris’ uncle, trying to brand the moment into her memory. She’d had so much fun the last couple of days, but Iris was right. It was time they both returned to their rightful places.

Her smile was small as she thanked Gabriel who placed a modest stack of pancakes in front of her. Usually the two pancakes would be nowhere near enough to fill her up, but today she struggled to take a single bite.

He sat on the stool next to Amy and scoffed down his own breakfast before turning to her, a drop of maple syrup clinging to his stubble, and examining her.

“You’re been weird lately.”

“No, I haven’t,” was her knee-jerk response.

“You most definitely have. Ever since you got back from camp, you’ve been…” he searched for the right word, eyes never once leaving hers. “Okay, level with me, kid. Every time you leave the house you act like a tourist. We went to the corner store the other day and it was almost like you had no idea where you were going. You’re eating enough food for two Iris’, which you know, you’re a growing girl but you’ve never had this kind of appetite before. So what’s up?”

Gabriel eyes were boring holes into Amy and she squirmed. The plan she had concocted with Iris the night before included having to involve Gabriel in their deception. Iris couldn’t think of another way to convince her father to take a trip to America, especially considering that Iris had technically just returned from there (or so he thought). The only way to do so was if Gabriel helped to gang up on him, and the only way to ensure that happened was to come clean.

Amy wasn’t very good at coming clean.

“Okay, look,” Amy said, dropping the light, airy voice she’d adopted for the last few days. “Here’s the sitch.”

Gabe raised his eyes, but didn’t say anything, giving Amy the space to continue.

“I’m not Iris.”

Silence filled the room.

“Huh?”

Amy sighed, knowing that she was going to have to tell the full - and lengthy - story.

“Long story short, my name is Amy. I’m Iris’ twin sister. We met at camp and thought it would be cool to switch places for a bit. I mean, I never had a real father growing up and Iris, well you know that she hasn’t really had a mother, and we wanted to see what it was like, only now we need to switch back because Mum is apparently into some guy that I’ve never met and Iris might be my twin but she’s very much not me and we thought we could meet up at Disneyland or something and switch back without anyone knowing but I have no idea how I’m supposed to convince Da-, I mean Garcia, to take us on a trip back to America, not to mention that Iris is going to struggle, too because really, college professors aren’t exactly the top ea-”

“Iris, stop.”

Amy took a deep breath, before looking back up at Gabe’s flabbergasted face. She fought against squirming has he looked at her, well and truly looked at her. The tiny scar just above her right eyebrow, her eyes which were just a dash greener than Iris’, they way she stared back defiantly despite her nerves.

“Not Iris?”

Amy quirked up one side of her mouth in a half-smirk. “Not Iris. Amy.”

“Amy.”

“Did I short-circuit your brain? Are you alright, Gabe?”

“Uhhhh,” he reached a hand out and poked Amy in the cheek.

The front door slammed and as Garcia strode into the room.

“Don’t mind me, family,” he announced, as he strode through the kitchen to the dining room table. “Just forgot some paperwork.”

Garcia paused as he turned back around to see his brother staring at Amy like he’d never seen her before, and Amy watching Garcia with skittish eyes.

“Is everything okay?” he asked.

“Yup, all good!” Iris squeaked back and he narrowed his eyes.

“Okay,” he said, elongating the word until it filled the room. “I’ll see you two tonight.”

“Have a good day, dad.”

Amy’s smile didn’t seem to fit her face right, but Garcia shrugged it off as he walked away.

The sound of the door slamming shut behind him seemed to pull Gabriel out of his stupor. He blinked at Amy.

“So, are you doing to help me or what?” she crossed her arms and turned steel eyes on Iris’ uncle.

**

“Hey, Jiya?” Iris called from across the living room.

Jiya was sat at the dining room table, doing some last-minute checks on A report before sending it off. Iris had peeked over her shoulder earlier and had gone slightly cross-eyed at the sheer amount of numbers on the screen. She had retreated into the living room, staring blankly at the television while she waited for Jiya to finish. She lasted fifteen minutes before her nerves got the best of her.

“Yeah?”

Iris waited until Jiya had looked up from her computer screen.

“Are you going to be much longer? There’s something I would like to talk to you about.”

Jiya raised a thick brow. “Just give me a couple more minutes, Ames.”

Iris nodded and, true to her word, two minutes later Jiya hit send on her email and walked over to sit next to Iris on the couch.

“What’s up, buttercup?”

Iris took a deep breath and threaded her fingers together on her lap.

“I’ve been thinking-”

“That was your first mistake.” Iris shot an exasperated look at Jiya as the woman fought against a snort of laughter. “My bad, continue.”

“Right so, I’ve been thinking that it would be good for us to get away for a few days, as a family.”

“Us?”

“You, me and mum, of course.”

“Of course. That’s cute. What did your mother say?”

Iris pressed her hands together tighter to stop herself from fidgeting.

“I’ve only brought it up once, but I think she seemed interested in the idea.”

Jiya didn’t reply, just looked at Iris with an intensity that made her a little uncomfortable. It was as if the woman could see right through her.

“What?”

“There’s just something so different about you. I can’t put my finger on it.”

“What do you mean? There’s nothing different about me.”

“Oh yes there is, and I’m not the only one who’s noticed. Just ask Mason.”

The large dog lifted his head at the sound of his name. He eyed Iris – who he no longer barked at but still wasn’t losing his shit when he saw her – before lowering his head back onto his front paws.

“I really don’t know what’s gotten into that dog,” Iris replied with a nervous laugh.

Being caught out by Jiya was not part of the plan. The less people that knew about the switch, the better for the two girls. Uncle Gabe needed to know because he was the only one who could convince her dad to take time off and ship them all off to America for some quality family time, and telling him was the only way that Iris could think of where Gabe would agree to help them. But she was confident that she could convince Jiya to help without telling the truth about who she was. She hadn’t counted on Jiya noticing that Iris wasn’t Amy.

“Listen, you don’t need to tell me what’s up with you. It’s your business and I can respect that you need your privacy. But I need you to know that you can come to me with anything, alright? And if you need me to promise not to tell your mother, as long as it’s not something that she honest to god needs to know about, I promise it’ll stay between the two of us.”

Tears jumped into Iris’ eyes and she tried to swallow them down.

“Thank you, Jiya. That means a lot,” she whispered before throwing herself into Jiya’s arms. “I uh, I may take you up on that at some point.”

Iris was so incredibly tempted to spill the beans, but she didn’t feel comfortable doing so without talking it through with Amy first. She knew that it would be Amy who would have to deal with the fall out once they’d switched back, and while she was confident that she could deal with Uncle Gabe once we got home, she didn’t want to throw her sister to the wolves.

She rubbed away any trace of tears as she pulled away from Jiya and gave her a genuine smile.

“I’ll talk to your mother about going away. Did you have any ideas on where?”

“Disneyland?” Iris said with a sheepish grin.

Jiya let out a bark of laughter as Lucy arrived home with a giant smile of her own.

“Honeys, I’m home,” Lucy said as she walked into the room and sat herself down on Iris’ other side with a kiss on the girl’s cheek. “Jiya, you wouldn’t happen to be free to babysit this troublemaker tonight?”

Iris’ stomach dropped as Jiya replied in the affirmative.

“Awesome, because I have a date.”

“Sranje! Sto bih sad trebala raditi? Ne bih trebao biti onaj koji se bavi ovom sranom!”

“Uhhh, what?” Jiya asked.

“Was that…Croatian?” Lucy asked with complete bewilderment.

“Oh I uh, I learned it at camp,” Iris said with a straight face, willing the two women to believe her. “A date, wow. With Wyatt?”

“Yeah,” Lucy eyed Iris, choosing to let the weirdness go for now. Even still, she couldn’t remove the smile from her face.

“You liiiiiiiiiiiiiiike him,” Jiya jested.

“Shut up,” Lucy laughed. “Yeah, I do. I don’t know, it’s been a while since I’ve felt like this.”

Later that night, Iris plastered a smile on her face and was on her best behavior when Wyatt came to pick up Lucy for their date. As soon as the door had shut behind Lucy and Wyatt, Jiya turned to Iris.

“Croatian?”

Iris sighed. “I think we need to talk.”


End file.
